Thousands of British troops and hundreds of military vehicles have deployed to Germany for Exercise Cerberus 2024, a large-scale training event aimed at enhancing the combat readiness of the British Army’s 3rd (UK) Division, according to a news release.
The bi-annual exercise saw 3,200 soldiers and officers participate in intensive warfighting drills at the UK’s NATO Forward Holding Base in Sennelager, alongside German forces.
Major General Olly Brown, General Officer Commanding 3rd (UK) Division, praised the exercise as a vital opportunity to sharpen the British Army’s warfighting skills, saying, “We have had 3,200 soldiers and officers out here in Germany to optimize warfighting skills, which is what the British Army is all about. We are learning every day, becoming better and more lethal.”
He added, “We put people under pressure to make them even better in terms of their ability to execute complex missions against a hard-charging enemy. The output has been good, and the people have really enjoyed their training.”
The exercise marked the first time a German Headquarters, Panzerlehrbrigade 9, participated in Exercise Cerberus. Brigadier-General Lutz Kuhn, Commander of Panzerlehrbrigade 9, highlighted the positive experience of working with British forces, stating, “Working with our British colleagues has been just fine. We have really enjoyed their comradeship and their friendship. But more importantly, it is good to see their professionalism, and it is a pleasure to cooperate with them.”
Brigadier-General Kuhn noted that while the German forces were not being validated in this exercise, the opportunity to fine-tune procedures in a realistic environment was invaluable.
He explained, “Sennelager is perfect for this and allows us to train as we should fight. This is a serious topic for us as we look to draw conclusions and lessons learnt from the various conflicts in the world today.”
British units that took part in the exercise included six Brigade Headquarters from:
- 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team
- 12 Armoured Brigade Combat Team
- 7 Mechanised Brigade Combat Team
- 20 Armoured Brigade Combat Team
- 101 Operational Sustainment Brigade
- 1 Aviation Brigade Combat Team
Major General Brown highlighted the collaboration between British and German forces, noting, “We are learning from each other, and we are getting better together on the battlefield.”
The exercise was nearly a year in the making, designed by specialists from the UK’s Land Warfare Centre. Major Tony Meagor, who helped design the exercise, spoke of its importance, saying, “The whole point of this exercise is to prove to our friends and allies that the British Army is ready for whatever comes its way. We are here to reassure our NATO allies and the German Army that we are ready to help and support them, whatever the mission or whatever the situation.”
Must like the Antic road show when we turn up.
Must look like the Antique Roadshow when we turn up. (?)
you corrected my spelling, well done you.
The borrowers – because we have to steal everything to function
Remember “Lionheart”? lol
Yup. Having participated in Lionheart which had close to 150k people involved, I take 3k being referred to as “large scale” with a bit of a chuckle.
Seen bigger boy scout meet ups.
Remember able archer, I’m not sure moving 150k personnel into Europe is a wise idea in the middle of a Russian war.
Some observations.
It’s for 3 Division according to the news release.
Yet 2 of those Bde HQ are 1 Division.
Is 7 Bde now officially 7 Mechanized? It is still 7 Light Mechanized AFAIK?
And where is 3 Divisions third “Brigade” the DRSB?
In addition, having now read the actual news release, it says all 6 Bde HQ are part of 3 Division. They’re not.
Also reaffirms 3 Div as SACEUR reserve in NATOs new model.
Which is it? You cannot have a reserve with the flexibility to be committed at a place of SACEURs choosing if a big chunk of the Division is already committed to Estonia.
It’s not then “in reserve”
HMG love this pretend everywhere at once stuff.
Finally, I see the GOC3D got the “lethal” word in….I wonder if he was briefed by upstairs?
Its to confuse the North Koreans Daniele. They can only count to ten 😅
To be fair, they’re probably operating off a Granby/Telic logic of a one off Task Org’d division build around 3 XX HQ.
Hi Dern.
Only just got notification of this, all my comments are being moderated.
Ok, thanks.
It’s happening to everyone by the looks of it.
It is, tech issue on our end.
👍
Division HQ’s are now more like Corps HQ’s designed to be operationally flexible with units (now brigades combat teams not divisions) being inter- changeable during a battle.
This is what the US Army is now doing as well. Given how fat modern divisions are this makes sense. They are far closer to Corps than Divisions.
Same process turned 1000 tonne torpedo boat destroyers into 10,000 AB destroyers.
Operation Rustbucket.
Deary me.😓
Dont worry- here comes the British army- in their 40+ year old armoured vehicles. 2nd only to Russia’s army in terms of keeping worn out platforms running.
pansy westerners
Pootling along in Bulldogs must put the fear of god into the enemy!
There is an in-depth article on Boxer trials and new variants in the pipeline on Army Technology today, if anyone is interested.
I’m wondering what artillery units were supporting the armoured brigade
Maybe that’s why DRSB were absent. What’s left is in Estonia.
Though there’s still M270.
Yup the As90 biscuit tin is just about empty
MOD sprechen scheissen again.
“Das MOD spricht Scheisse wieder” is the correct formulation.
Doing important Precision Fires against the red army as designed, operated by the heros of the Armed Forces of Ukraine 🇺🇦.
Slava Ukraine, Slava Heroyam!
PS: interim Artillery already contracted.
DRS were there, as was the UK contribution to NATO, HQ ARRC. Sometimes the journal doesn’t get all the info.
Yes but which regiment and with what
Coming from someone who was complaining about sexism the other day this is really rich.
I think you are being sarcastic, plus looking at the way one of the people is crossing their legs I would say there is at least 1 woman in there even if you can’t see her face.
Mate l am all for “inclusion”, one observation from an old light infantryman? I would not want any of our women near any Russian, you know the reasons. Love the sarcasm though.
The ranger bn’s are now 250 bods, a ‘brigade’ combat team, circa 1000 and a Div 3200 – I see where this is going – a Corps will become 5K and we will have several Armies to deploy, in the near future.
Has Hitler been re-incarnated in the minds of the General Staff, moving markers around a map? After all the current Head of the Head Shed said he wanted the Army to be 3 times more lethal than previously, does that mean dividing the numbers in a Formation by three as well?
You say that a Brigade Combat Team is c.1000? How? An inf battalion is about 550 and there are 3 of them, then add in Bde HQ and Bde Tps (CS and CSS etc).
Or were you joking?
I think David was loading his post with a strong dose of sarcasm, alongside the quoted numbers that are rarely full brigade sized but as we know are parts of, not full Brigades.
Downfalls “Steiner” map conferences on YouTube spring to mind, only substitute Hitler for…?
That’s not the establishment of a Ranger Battalion.
Nor is 3,200 the establishment of 3 UK division, just the elements that where exercised.
Becoming better and more lethal, OK, did he say that with a straight face??
Every month the Army shrinks and it’s ancient armour gets more creaking thanks to 30 years of utter governmental incompetence.
By God, SDSR25 has its work cut out for it….
We couldn’t win in the 80s and can’t even invade Poland anymore.
Back then we could expect a million shells and rockets per day for a month without any decent response with two weeks worth of munitions based on a ten percent daily attrition rate, which was why we had to go nuke first.
Nothing has changed we are even weaker and can barely last a day.
Poland is now on our side!
Nothing has changed?
Except that the Warsaw pact no longer exists? That Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Romania and East Germany are all in NATO now? That constituent parts of the Soviet Union are either in NATO (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), are actively in a shooting war with Russia (Ukraine) or refusing to help Russia (Kazakhstan)? Except that previously staunchly neutral countries such as Finland and Sweden have joined NATO?
But yes, other than that, nothing has changed.
Remember when we had actual divisions.
We can’t put two brigades up now.
As others have said, I too was on Lionheart. 100,000+ is a major exercise, and a clear display of intent, and a real show of the ability of the British Army.
Back in a time where there was more understanding of a tier 1 Army, and the true meaning of NATO partnership, and what a deterrent actually means.
Major Brown appears to be at odds with Mr Healy..
Just surprised that nobody here has even mentioned the strategy and tactics of the IDF as a clue to future engagements?
Probably because it is not remotely relevant.